"Brunswick Corp. has partnered with peer-to-peer boat company Boatbound in its effort to tap the company’s younger demographic, helping to validate the relatively new model in the industry, which allows boat owners to rent their vessels to non-owners.

“The credibility of Brunswick, they touch almost everything within the boating space,” Boatbound founder Aaron Hall told Trade Only Today. “They’ve built a reputation of integrity and quality, so them putting their muscle behind us to increase awareness, and also their belief that Boatbound will change the industry for the better, in general, is exciting.”

The partnership covers everything in the Brunswick world, Hall said. Boatbound is giving special access to members of the owners clubs of brands that include Brunswick’s Sea Ray, Bayliner and Boston Whaler, as well as to dealers.

Boatbound reaches a younger demographic, a point that Brunswick leaders noted.

Right now, about 75 percent of all rentals are by people 45 years of age and younger, and half of all rentals are to people 35 and younger, Hall said. “I think that was a real factor in them making the decision to get on board.”

With several companies operating in the peer-to-peer space, Brunswick spokesman Daniel Kubera told Trade Only that the company selected Boatbound for the partnership because it was a leader there.

“They have put together a skilled team that is passionate about helping more people experience boating — something we think is very important to the health of the industry,” Kubera told Trade Only in an email. “They are very customer-focused and are counting on winning through making sure owners and renters have a great experience — very aligned with how our brands think about things.”

The company also liked Boatbound’s growth plan, as well as its network of investors and advisers, Kubera said.

Boatbound is looking to announce additional partnerships this spring and summer, Hall said. “Over the next 60 days, probably every two weeks, we will announce another major industry player that’s jumped on board.”

The company expects to have grown its reach of 15,000 to 20,000 boaters last summer to between 1 million and 3 million this summer, Hall said.

In the near term it will look at five key markets to begin the rollout with Brunswick — New York, Chicago, Seattle, South Florida and the Great Lakes, Hall said.

“For Boatbound, the really exciting part is the validation,” Sara Morgan, who handles the company’s public relations, told Trade Only.

Just last June, when Hall approached her with his idea, Morgan said the industry believed that the model would be “a flash in the pan.” Now manufacturers are starting to see the benefits for sales, as well as for dealers.

The partnership will give Brunswick dealers the ability to list boats and inventory on Boatbound’s website, Hall said. That not only helps them pay for inventory that has not been sold, but it also helps tap a new pool of potential customers. The model becomes a selling point for potential buyers who hesitate because they believe the cost of ownership is too high.

“Renting your boat once or twice a month on Boatbound can really offset the cost of ownership,” Hall said. “What we’ve seen already happening as we make boats more accessible is if people are not quite sure they wanted to make the jump into boat ownership, we’ve seen people who rented a boat once or twice and then decided to buy. That experience helped them to get into the boat, as well as the understanding they could rent the boat once or twice and cover costs enough to make [payments] manageable. It’s going to be driving new people into the ecosystem.”

And Boatbound has worked hard to dispel any perception that renting a boat is better than owning, Hall says.

“We look at ownership as an important piece of our marketplace,” Hall said. “I believe [this makes ownership] easier and more affordable than ever, and I think that we’re going to drive more people into ownership. Even if you can’t use a boat in winter, in the summer months you can offset the costs of owning the boat all year long.”

Interesting. I think this would work well for day boats but cruisers seem to be more personal to the owners. I just couldn't see my boat taking off from the marina with someone I don't know at the helm.

This may be the most important sentence: "Boatbound is giving special access to members of the owners clubs of brands that include Brunswick’s Sea Ray, Bayliner and Boston Whaler, as well as to dealers."

There are a few of these companies getting into this space. I've spoken to https://www.cruzin.com/ and Boatbound. I think it's an interesting concept and will work for smaller boats. Neither program could tell me how damaging the engines would be covered if the damage didn't present while rented. They claim the vessel is insured for damage through a separate insurance company with a "trust us" attitude. Yet the policy and contracts with them clearly absolve them of any issue. That's who the contracts are really designed to protect. I don't doubt that if someone runs into a dock and the damage is visible, the insurance is likely to cover it.

But, the primary issue with me is what happens with abuse of the engines? That damage might not present itself for many running hours later. They had no answer for that....

I think it has possibilities if there is a licensed captain you trust running it.

Humph, don't you think that price is a bit low? It's interesting that boat, the reviews, and the company are all based right there in San Fran.

Yeah, I'd have to agree with what others have already stated.. It pretty easy to hit a submerged object, or something like that in New England, not to mention Rocks etc.. I'd be concerned that if someone ran the engines at full throttles for the entire trip or something to that nature.. Maybe if I had a captain or something to that nature... but then, not sure if it would be worth the headaches...

Yeah, I'd have to agree with what others have already stated.. It pretty easy to hit a submerged object, or something like that in New England, not to mention Rocks etc.. I'd be concerned that if someone ran the engines at full throttles for the entire trip or something to that nature.. Maybe if I had a captain or something to that nature... but then, not sure if it would be worth the headaches...

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IMO, preventing them to run at WOT is the easiest of all. Just add the throttle control limit (mechanical or electronic, whichever is applicable).

I would be more concern about other things you've mentioned, including overall care and operation.

The price is based on a 340DA so it would obviously be more for my boat. I would have no problem running people for a day trip for $1K to $1,250 per day plus fuel. The first rule would be it is my right to toss any unruly passengers overboard!

These guys are in my marina. The maintenance on the boats in their "club" is non-existent except for some cosmetic washing of dirt by some high schools kids. We have found that the renters of these boats are ill-informed, lacking in knowledge of the most basic tenets of proper boat-handling, and downright dangerous in anything but the calmest seas with no boats around. I cannot tell you how many times their renters have run into other boats while the renters are coming and going from the slips. The marina had them on our dock for a period of time. They were so disruptive of the peace and quiet on the dock, 7 of us offered to move our boats to another marina.

I believe that a properly run program, with vetted skippers at the helm, is the only way to insure that your equipment will remain in good condition.

Guys,
This outfit www.boatsetter.com is starting up here in Boca and seem to lead the pack in how they are handling it. They have some heavy hitters, including senior management from Enterprise rental cars. Their major difference is they have vetted Captains available for any vessel. The owner decides the rental terms (Captain/Bareboat, etc) rates and duration.
Cheers

The other issue, as I recall, is the percentage these places take. I thought it was excessive for their role and passing the liability. They are basically a listing site and similar to a rental listing.

I looked all over their site and help section for information on their fees and they provide all kinds of information, yet I couldn't find that one critical detail.

I wonder how this works with insurance? Does the policy allow you to rent your boat to strangers? I think you're covered if you let your buddy borrow it for an afternoon, but using it as a source of income might be a different story.

I wonder how this works with insurance? Does the policy allow you to rent your boat to strangers? I think you're covered if you let your buddy borrow it for an afternoon, but using it as a source of income might be a different story.

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I think the point is when it's being rented their insurance covers the boat, not yours. I also read the "renter" terms and they say they pre-screen any potential renters. You gotta wonder how well.

The problem with renting it and serving as captain is a captains license isn't super quick or easy to obtain. It's a process. While the site doesn't say you must have a captains license, I'm sure it's required.

The online boat sharing service is earning rave reviews. Like Kim Pero, a Sundancer 270 owner in Fort Lauderdale: "Boatbound is awesome. Great renters, great company and my boating expenses are totally covered. I earned almost $3,000 last month. What's not to love?"

Boatbound lets you maintain full control of who rents your Sea Ray, what price they pay and when it's available. You can even require a captain. Plus, every rental comes with up to $3 million in insurance coverage through one of the most trusted insurers in the world and 24/7 on-the-water boater assistance including towing.

As a benefit to Sea Ray Owners Club members, the first time you rent your boat is commission-free. Click here.for all the details and learn why, more than ever, being a Sea Ray owner has no bounds.

My wife said this ranges along with the possibility of leasing tools, etc., that's come in vogue. $500 a day during peak summer is a nice thought until you realize they've run aground and broken off the skeg and destroyed the SS prop, or run over somebody while inebriated. Is 3 million enough to cover liability. Has anybody heard anymore about the Bill to increase Fed gas tax 12 cents a gallon graduated over a two year period. Senator Bobby Corker of TN and the other guy from CT are advancing this proposal.